APC accuses police of backing PDP in Kogi

WHAT was meant to restrain stakeholders in the state from overheating the polity before the elections became an avenue for trading accusations between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the police in Lokoja.

The candidate for House of Representative Dekina/Bassa Federal constituency on the platform of the APC Benjamin Ikanni at a stakeholders workshop organised by the Kogi State Police Command for a peaceful election, accused the police of complicity in the attack on his campaign office and supporters by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Dekina Local Council of the state.

But the state Police Commissioner, Paul Okafor denied the allegation, saying there was no such report on his desk.

Ikani at the workshop stated that some known supporters of the PDP attacked them.

He said they reported the matter to the divisional police headquarter in the area, with evidence, and no action was taken.

“When it happened, we reported the matter to the police, with names of the attackers who wore police and military uniform. We knew they were impersonating the police and army, because we know them to be thugs of the PDP in the area. The police refused to do anything, despite our complaints,” he said.

Ikanni indicated that the workshop was an opportunity for him to express some of the apprehension they have had in the last five days in Dekina where he alleged violence has been visited on APC supporters.

“It started on Saturday when the PDP had their ward procession. We had ours a week earlier under full police protection because we got the approval to embark on the procession. We didn’t know whether police was part of the PDP procession but we discovered that at the end of their procession they started destroying our banners, flyers, posters and all our campaign materials.

“We decided to continue to be law abiding and restrain ourselves from making reprisal attack, but in the process we made our report at the police station. But as I speak with you the police has not responded or made any arrest even when we mentioned the names of the boys and men involved.